I've started using a DJI Ronin-S to improve the quality of my video. I'm a novice with gimbals – the Ronin always starts panning as I'm walking. I would prefer my camera to keep pointing forward but it will start panning either left or right. This happens even when holding the trigger button. To compensate, I have to hold the d-pad left or right, to prevent the device from panning. Is this behavior par the course? If not, might my device be defective? If it is the expected behavior, how does one manage to keep the camera locked pointing forward? For the record, the systems test shows each access as balanced "excellent" and I always run the "auto tune" function.

Further developments: I downgraded from newest firmware to oldest firmware. Now the pan axis stays still as I walk. If I hold the trigger the pan does NOT stay locked. The trigger is supposed to lock both the pan AND tilt correct?

It's hard for me to believe that the latest firmware doesn't work right. Is my device a lemon or is this a software problem? Please let me know or else I will be forced to return this product.

Hi secondEdition, we are very sorry to read on your unpleasant experience with Ronin-S, it should not be firmware related, please follow the steps below to make a troubleshooting.
1. Will the camera stays still when rotating the Pan axis 45° while lifting the grip? Please make sure the knob has been tightened.
2. Did you mount the camera mounting plate and the lens support?
3. If the Pan axis has been physically balanced, please tilt the device 45°, then check if the Power value of the Pan motor is in the range of +/-5. If not, the device will need to be balanced again.
4. If the above steps are all fine, please try the System Calibration and joysticks calibration and let us know if the issue persists, thank you.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2018-10-28 22:29
Hi secondEdition, we are very sorry to read on your unpleasant experience with Ronin-S, it should not be firmware related, please follow the steps below to make a troubleshooting.
1. Will the camera stays still when rotating the Pan axis 45° while lifting the grip? Please make sure the knob has been tightened.
2. Did you mount the camera mounting plate and the lens support?

1. The camera stays still, it's the pan axis that's rotating
2. Yes
3. It is in the range of +/-5
4. I did this and the issue still persists.

The balance test shows "excellent" for everything. As a reminder, if I downgrade to earlier firmware, the pan stays still without the trigger being held. If I DO hold the trigger on the old firmware the pan does NOT stay still. On the newest firmware the pan doesn't stay still when I move around no matter what.

Please confirm: if i hold the trigger, the pan is supposed to lock right?

secondEdition Posted at 2018-10-29 19:52
1. The camera stays still, it's the pan axis that's rotating
2. Yes
3. It is in the range of +/-5

is there a way you can post a video example? not of you operating the camera but of the camera on the Ronin-S. Example, walk straight toward something you intend to "lock on" to so we can see an example of the Ronin-S drifting away. I'm not saying it's user error, but the camera move you're talking about is very difficult to master, most times this is done with a dolly or locked off camera system.

Also, I recommend creating a profile on the Ronin app with ALL smooth track settings disabled. This will allow you to move the Ronin-S in any direction without the gimbal reacting to your movements at all, it will only respond to joystick commands at that point. So theoretically, if you use this mode and the problem still persists, the problem is either A: you're moving the Ronin incorrectly creating the illusion the pan axis is moving OR B: something is mechanically wrong with your unit and will need to be sent back for diagnosis/repair. Sending it back to DJI is a 2-week process so I suggest eliminating all possible factors before resulting to that option.

I don't know your experience level with operating cameras or gimbal systems so I apologize if I seem condescending, it's not my intention, just trying to better understand the issue you're facing.

secondEdition Posted at 2018-10-29 19:52
1. The camera stays still, it's the pan axis that's rotating
2. Yes
3. It is in the range of +/-5

Yes, if we keep holding Trigger Button, the Pan is supposed to be locked.If you ever changed any settings, please try to restore the gimbal to the factory default in the System Settings. Then try the joint angel calibration:
1. Push and pull the joystick several times to change the axis’s position if it has drifted. Observe the joint angle data changing in the app and stop operating the joystick after the drifted axis’s arm is in the centered position.
2. Press and hold the joint angle in the app for about 6 seconds to start the joint angle calibration. Then click “OK”.


If the issue persists, please share us a sample video, thank you.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2018-10-29 23:54
Yes, if we keep holding Trigger Button, the Pan is supposed to be locked.If you ever changed any settings, please try to restore the gimbal to the factory default in the System Settings. Then try the joint angel calibration:
1. Push and pull the joystick several times to change the axis’s position if it has drifted. Observe the joint angle data changing in the app and stop operating the joystick after the drifted axis’s arm is in the centered position.[view_image]
2. Press and hold the joint angle in the app for about 6 seconds to start the joint angle calibration. Then click “OK”.

I think I'm good now. Thanks for your help Mindy!

secondEdition Posted at 2018-10-30 16:30
I think I'm good now. Thanks for your help Mindy!

Glad to hear that, if there is any further issue, please don't hesitate to let us know.

I'm having this problem as well, and I've tried everything.

Changing the joint angle doesn't seem to help.

I have similiar issues
When I try to circle around my subject the camera start to turn to the right or left dep on which direct I move and it doesn’t seem to keep up with my speed and also I don’t go back to it original position even after I stop and stay still

DJI Mindy Posted at 2018-10-28 22:29
Hi secondEdition, we are very sorry to read on your unpleasant experience with Ronin-S, it should not be firmware related, please follow the steps below to make a troubleshooting.
1. Will the camera stays still when rotating the Pan axis 45° while lifting the grip? Please make sure the knob has been tightened.
2. Did you mount the camera mounting plate and the lens support?

I know other gimbals allow this. I want to be able to lock the camera to point forward without having to use the trigger because I am using a monopod and can't reach the trigger. How can I do this with ronin s?

djiuser_xtyUus7vMf89 Posted at 4-8 07:02
I know other gimbals allow this. I want to be able to lock the camera to point forward without having to use the trigger because I am using a monopod and can't reach the trigger. How can I do this with ronin s?

Hi there, you may try to disable the Smoothtrack of all the axis, the gimbal will not follow the movement.

mnliew Posted at 4-5 14:16
I have similiar issues
When I try to circle around my subject the camera start to turn to the right or left dep on which direct I move and it doesn’t seem to keep up with my speed and also I don’t go back to it original position even after I stop and stay still

Hi mnliew, it doesn't go back to the original position could relate to the Deadband, please try to decrease the Deadband value and increase the Speed and the Sensitivity value, or enable the Sport Mode, it should work better.

mnliew Posted at 4-5 14:16
I have similiar issues
When I try to circle around my subject the camera start to turn to the right or left dep on which direct I move and it doesn’t seem to keep up with my speed and also I don’t go back to it original position even after I stop and stay still

This is a known issue, just look for a thread about Ronin S not returning to center. It's really amazing that DJI hasn't fixed this issue, althought it is promised to be fixed in firmware updates. If it doesn't happen soon, I'm gonna sell my Ronin S and buy something which works like gimbals are meant to work / work other than this gimbal.

Edit. Here is the thread:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-163729-1-3.html

I need help. When I hold the trigger and when I walk with the Ronin S it still drifts to the right or left.  I tried some of the fixes mentioned, but nothing works.

Rhonda Payne Posted at 4-17 16:27
I need help. When I hold the trigger and when I walk with the Ronin S it still drifts to the right or left.  I tried some of the fixes mentioned, but nothing works.

Same here, such a shame indeed.

I'm having similar issues but I think mine's probably operator error. LOL. I'm trying to shoot driving shots b-roll out of my passenger window and when I point my gimbal out the window, it ends up panning to the right, looking at my passenger side seatbelt. It acts like its "tracking" something. FYI- I have it on a strapped down tripod, the Ronin is balanced with excellent results on the balance test, I run it through auto tune, I've done the restore gimbal set up, I use the virtual joystick in Create and I've downloaded and installed the latest software for the Ronin. I've tried adjusting the follow speed, deadpan and sensitivity. I don't have the option (or can't find it) for the Smoothtrack with the newest software. Any tips or suggestions? My goal is to point the gimbal out of the window (or wherever) and not have it move unless I tell it to...

I have the same problem: the pan on the gimbal won't lock when I hold down the trigger. It just drifts back in the direction I'm turning from.

I've been having this problem since day one, on all firmwares, for multiple DJI gimbals, regardless of all the calibration and tuning. It has always made it tricky to get those clean symmetrical shots with parallel lines staying parallel for longer than a couple of seconds. I'd go as far as to say that this is a problem with virtually all gimbals, but the overwhelming majority of users don't shoot that type of shot and never notice the subtle drift, meaning there's never enough user feedback for DJI to realize how big of an issue it is.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2018-10-29 23:54
Yes, if we keep holding Trigger Button, the Pan is supposed to be locked.If you ever changed any settings, please try to restore the gimbal to the factory default in the System Settings. Then try the joint angel calibration:
1. Push and pull the joystick several times to change the axis’s position if it has drifted. Observe the joint angle data changing in the app and stop operating the joystick after the drifted axis’s arm is in the centered position.[view_image]
2. Press and hold the joint angle in the app for about 6 seconds to start the joint angle calibration. Then click “OK”.

Hi!
What I want is the gimbal to be manually locked at the pan axis. Now we cannot fix or completely disable the pan motor and this is really not good for this device!
in another words, when I am moving forward or backward with the gimbal, I have a little pan moves to right or left. I dont want this little moves and I  want to lock and freeze the pan motor.
my device balancing is excellent.
i tried the trigger button to lock and does not work

I realy dont want thea pan movement! I want to phisically fix and freeze the pan motor!

Many others has the same problem with your device. here is the link of forum dji:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-231 ... 20manual%20%22Press,to%20enter%20Lock%20mode%22%20p.

Hi!
What I want is the gimbal to be manually locked at the pan axis. Now we cannot fix or completely disable the pan motor and this is really not good for this device!
in another words, when I am moving forward or backward with the gimbal, I have a little pan moves to right or left. I dont want this little moves and I  want to lock and freeze the pan motor.
my device balancing is excellent.
i tried the trigger button to lock and does not work

I realy dont want thea pan movement! I want to phisically fix and freeze the pan motor!

hadi.ahmadi Posted at 4-17 21:00
Hi!
What I want is the gimbal to be manually locked at the pan axis. Now we cannot fix or completely disable the pan motor and this is really not good for this device!
in another words, when I am moving forward or backward with the gimbal, I have a little pan moves to right or left. I dont want this little moves and I  want to lock and freeze the pan motor.

Could you please perform the Auto Tune and then finish the System Calibration and Advanced Calibration to see if it helps? You can also set the user profile to 'Custom' and do not select any axis. And then set the 'Speed' to 1 and 'Deadband' to 0.